Strap support for shoes



May 17, 1960 M. PAYNOR 2,936,533

STRAP SUPPORT FOR SHOES Filed July 21, 1959 FIG.4

30 IN V EN TOR.

MELVIN PAYNOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent STRAP surronr non snons Melvin Paynor, Providence, R.I., assignor to Fulford IsManl ilifacturing Company, a corporation of Rhode Application July 21, 1959, Serial No. 828,653

1 (llaim. (Cl. 36-25) This invention relates to a strap support for shoes and particularly to a means for preventing the strap on certain types of heelless ladies shoes from falling down over the heel.

Certain types of ladies shoes have no heel portion and approach that of a sandal. In this particular type of shoe there is a strap leading from an area adjacent the arch portion toward the heel portion of the shoe, which strap is generally arched upwardly to engage the ankle portion of ones foot. Such straps have a tendency to slip down over the heel and it is therefore the principal object of this invention to produce a simple and etficient support means which is adapted to be attached to the heel portion of a shoe for preventing the strap from slipping.

Another object of the invention is to provide a supporting means for the strap of a heelless shoe which may be readily attached to the heel portion of the shoe and be decorative.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a strap supporting means which is contoured to the general heel outline of ones foot.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe showing the strap supporting device attached;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the strap supporting device;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of an alternate form of strap supporting device; and

Figure 4 is a partial elevational view showing an alternate top loop construction.

Referring now to the drawings, generally indicates a ladys heelless shoe which is provided with a toe portion 11, a heel portion 12 and a strap 13 which extends from the area just forward of the shank portion. The strap supporting device of the invention 14, as will be seen by referring to Fig. 2, consists of a U-shaped piece of material 15 which has inturned ends 16, 17 that are flattened and are provided with barbed tipped ends 18, 19. From the central bridge portion of the U as at 20, a supporting strip 21 rises in a general arcuate direction substantially vertical from the planal extent of the U portion 15. This supporting strip 21 may be formed from a length of half-round material which is spread to form a loop portion 22 and then doubled back upon itself to the point of attachment where the material may be soldered, brazed or otherwise secured to the U portion 15. For purposes of rigidity it is preferred that the material used in forming the particular supporting strip be tempered wire which will supply the necessary springiness and rigidity to the assembly.

The assembly shown in Fig. 2 is attached to the heel ice portion 12 of the shoe by spreading the ends 16 and 17 of the U piece 15 and then driving the pointed ends 18 and 19 into the shoe structure just beneath the sole lining. By virtue of the fact that the U-shaped portion snuggly grips the rear portion of the heel and since the ends 16 and 17 are flattened, rotative movement of the U-shape portion relative to the heel is substantially prevented. At this point it is merely necessary to pass the end of the strap 13 through the loop 22 where it can remain threaded inasmuch as the support means 14 doesnot interfere with the normal use of the shoe and can be left in place at all times.

In Figure 3 there is shown an alternate form wherein side arm portions 24, 25 extend in an arcuate path from a point above the center point of the supporting strip 21 and thence on to the sides of the U-shape piece 15 as at 27, 28. These side arm portions 24, 25 are soldered, brazed or otherwise suitably secured to the U-portion 15 and to the supporting strip 21 and extend in a same general curve as does the support 21 so that the whole assembly tends to first bulge rearwardly and then extend forwardly, thus simulating the curve of the rear section of ones foot over the heel and toward the ankle section.

Should it be desired, the loop portion 22 may be varied from that shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and may take the form as shown in Fig. 4 wherein a loop portion 22' is formed by a single piece of wire 29 that raises upwardly from the point of attachment as at 20 and is reversely bent to form the loop portion 22' and then terminates as at 30 first bending inwardly to form a keeper as at 31. In this form of construction it is not necessary to pass the strap end 13 through a loop but merely necessary to hook the strap underneath the end 30 passing it between the bite as at 31 and into the loop portion at 22.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a simple and effective strap support has been produced which is provided with the necessary attaching means to facilitate its use in conjunction with a shoe and which is provided with a support arm that conforms to the contour of the wearers ankle thereby preventing the same from bulging when in use.

I claim:

In a shoe construction having a toe portion, heel portion and a shank joining said portions, a strap extending from the shank toward the heel portion, a strap sup port having a U-shaped base portion with inwardly turned ends embracing the periphery of the heel portion, said ends carrying barbs and being flattened in the planal extent of said portion, said barbs extending into the heel portion, an arched support strip extending substantially normal to the planal extent of said base portion and being fixedly attached thereto, a loop portion at the end of said strip, the arched strip extending in a direction toward the shank portion and supporting the strap in an elevated position above the heel portion.

' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 208,612 Koopman Oct. 1, 1878 256,030 Morton Apr. 4, 1882 355,258 Edney Dec. 28, 1886 1,109,107 Byrnes Sept. 1, 1914 1,448,600 Shortridge Mar. 13, 1923 1,900,515 Miller Mar. 7, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS 81,305 Switzerland July 1, 1919 81,603 Switzerland July 1, 1919 695,509 France Sept. 30, 1930 697,221 France Oct. 27, 1930 

